Campaign to name more Brussels streets after women

Belgium

22:01 28/07/2018

More streets in Brussels should be named after women, according to a draft resolution tabled by a Brussels member of parliament, which will be discussed in the autumn.

According to figures from last year, 22% of the Brussels region's streets are named after men and only 3% after women. The resolution put forward by DéFI politician Fatouma Sidibé aims to redress that balance.

"In order for the city to belong more to women, the city must make women more visible," Sidibé said. "This would be a positive measure - it would put women first, which reverses the current trend of showing women only as victims."

The resolution has the support of members from each of the parties in the Brussels parliament's majority coalition and should receive approval when it is discussed at committee stage in September.

However, ultimately, the naming of streets is a decision for each of the 19 Brussels municipalities. Last year, Ixelles announced that about a dozen streets would be renamed to honour women who have contributed to Brussels history and society.

In Wallonia, 5,137 streets bear men's names compared with just 577 women. Namur has begun "feminising" street names, after local officials noted that less than 2% of roads were named after women. A new shortlist of candiates will be drawn up by the city every year.